At some point in time you will be faced with the need to
register a complaint because of a poor product or poor
service, or maybe even both !

Here are some tips to make sure that your complaint is
NOT ignored.

Keep Your Cool

It's difficult to do this when you are "mad as all get out" but it's a key step
to making sure you're complaint gets heard. Act reasonably and politely.

Make the person on the other end of your complaint
WANT to help you. Losing your temper can cause the
other person to become "defensive" instead of cooperative
and helpful.

Identify Yourself

Don't start out with "what" you are - "I'm a lawyer", "I'm a doctor", "I'm a
trash collector". Start out with "who" you are - "My name is Jim". You want
them to see you as a person, not just another problem.

Give them your name and telephone number. This allows
the other person to respond more effectively and follow-up with results.
Remaining anonymous doesn't establish the one-on-one relationship you need in
order to have your problem resolved.

Be Precise

Have receipts and other records available to assist you
in giving an accurate account of your complaint. Give
them as many details as you can - the date you made
the purchase, the store where you made the purchase or
encountered the problem, the name of the salesperson you
were working with, etc.

Keep a record of the date, time and name of any person
you speak with about your complaint. If they are unable
to resolve your complaint immediately, ask when you can
reasonably expect a follow-up phone call.

Thank You

End your conversation with by thanking them for their
help. If you have the person's name you are speaking with, address them by
name, "thank you Angela".

When the problem is resolved to your satisfaction, you
may even want to write a simple thank you note. People
who work in customer service appreciate this more than
you might know.

Use these steps "to your credit" the next time you have a
complaint, and you'll have greater success and results.